James Baker Quotes
Divisiveness is the only thing that sells today. Comity dies not sell. Civility does not sell.
James Baker, 1930-2014, U. S. Secretary of the Treasury and State (Republican), White House Chief of Staff, Presidential campaign manager, Interview, PBS, The Charlie Rose Show, March 28, 2012
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Personal attacks have been made in the Congress ever since that body first met. However, they were infrequent and raised concern when they were made. However, in the late 1980s, there was a series of personal attacks made across the political parties culminating in the resignation of Wright as the Speaker of the House. Some Republicans had objected to the failure to confirm John Tower as Defense Secretary because of his serious alcoholism problem which was made public, and in turn made public some of Wright’s indiscretions. From then on the personal invective and attacks increases and there was retaliation by both parties that went on for decades. At first it was exposures of real incidents but by the 21st century, the attacks were often fabricated. For example, Barack Obama was called a “Socialist Muslim” by Republicans. See {624107}
The partisanship about which the American Founding fathers were so apprehensive were also a great cause for worry in France before the French Revolution. It was managed in America. It exploded in France.
James Addison Baker III is an American attorney, statesman, and political figure. He served as White House Chief of Staff and United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Ronald Reagan, and as U.S. Secretary of State and White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush.
